The Lighter Stuff: 

I often joke to myself that I came out of my Mother’s womb a listener, and that life’s events led me to become a psychologist. Yet, like everyone (like you) I’m probably, at my core, made up of both the internal stuff of people, and the external influences that life passed (and sometimes threw!) at me. I am (as psychologists like to recognise) a mix of both nature and nurture. I like to listen and life has made me a listener. 

I have also always loved patterns! It’s one of my simple joys in life – patterns in fabric, patterns in art, patterns in music. Patterns in people. It’s the patterns in people that have kept me engaged in psychology for over two decades. I began observing people’s patterns in research, observing the psyche in social situations. Through a combination of life events, and working in research psychology for a number of years (both in the NGO sector and academia), the potential pain of some of these patterns became evident – both in others lives, and my own. My call to listen became louder, except this time it also became about listening to my own inner voice. My own therapeutic experience undoubtedly helped shape my decision to help others. I wanted to move beyond observing patterns, to healing them. And so I became a Clinical Psychologist. 

And so my love of psychology spans a lifetime. I continue to love what I do. I feel an immense sense of privilege that I get to witness people’s patterns. That people come to me with their distressing patterns and trust our time together. Yes, it’s not always easy for the person. It’s not always easy to observe and listen. But the courage of clients (and the human spirit) is truly amazing and continuously inspiring.

Academic Credentials:

I qualified with a Master’s degree in Clinical Psychology from The University of Cape Town in 2014, where I gained a vast amount of practical and theoretical experience to working with children, parents, and familial concerns. Work frequently required short term interventions that could assist people in the here and now. Work was often, therefore, more pragmatic and interactive.

I then completed a further year’s clinical training at Stikland Psychiatric Hospital, where I gained more specialised experience, working with both acute and chronic psychological conditions, within the public health sector. This exposed me to a range of psychological disorders, including more common mental health problems, such as Depression and Anxiety, as well as more complex issues, such as Trauma and Personality Disorders.

My community service year was completed with The City of Cape Town in their specialised health department, where I worked with children, families, and individuals. This work often required a more flexible and pragmatic approach to working with psychological problems, and in this sense, formed an excellent basis for the modern approach to psychological care within the private sector. 

My experience in the private sector initially began with conducting neuro-psychological assessments for people struggling with epilepsy and other neurological conditions, however, although enjoying the complexity that this work afforded, I missed the therapeutic engagement of creating change in people’s lives. This led me to private practice, where I continue to work in practical and meaningful ways, which are constantly guided by the therapeutic framework within which I work.